The placement and retention of a body fluid drain in and on a patient's body is a continuing medical problem. Various devices have been provided to retain and secure a drain as it emerges from a surgically provided or natural body cavity that acts as a drainage site in a patient's body, but many surgeons find these devices unsatisfactory. Hence, various expedients are employed, such as, simply taping the drain to the body surface where it emerges.
Problems with drains include their tendency to pull out of the drainage site because, for example, of movement of the patient. Additionally, drains may become kinked or pinched and, therefore, blocked, due to such movement, particularly if the patient rolls over in bed and lies on the drain. Furthermore, the drain is apt to pop out of the drainage site if suction is employed. These problems inherent in the use of any drainage tube are aggravated by the use of the new silicone-type tubes, which are softer and smoother than more conventional plastic drain tubes.
It is desirable to be able to secure a body fluid drain to the patient so that the drain may first emerge from the body cavity relatively perpendicularly to the body surface, if necessary, and then be curved over into an aspect parallel with the body surface. This minimizes patient discomfort, allows freedom of movement, prevents the drain from being pinched or kinked and blocked, and, at the same time, aids in securely retaining the drain at the drainage site. Because drains may have various cross-sections, for example, round or flat, retention devices should accommodate various shapes. Finally, a retention device should perform its functions efficiently and be foolproof and inexpensive.
Some existing retention devices require threading the drain through the device before placing the drain in the drainage site. However, a doctor should be able to freely place a drain in the drainage site and position it on the body without the initial encumbrance of a retention device on the drain. Also, it is desirable that the retention device used be able to be attached to the drain without threading the drain from an end through the device.